Improvement in fruit-crates



2 Sheets--Sheet T.

W. H. CLARKSON.

Truihrates.

Patented March18,1873. V

nesses.- krek or, i V m 2Sheets--Sheet 2. w. H. .GLA'RKSON.

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AM. meramas/wma ca ::.Masseurs macm) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

WILLIAM ILCLARKSOIL OF BRIDGEVILLE, DELAWARE.

b IMPROVEMENT IN FRUlT-CRATES.

r Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,968, dated March18, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. CLARKSON, ot' Bridgeville, in the countyof Sussex and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful"Improvements` in. Berry Orates; and do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a fastening for berry-crates, as will be hereinaf'ter more fully setforth. g

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, whichforms a part of this specification, and in which- Figure ,1 is aperspective View of a berrycrate with my fastening attached; and Figs.2, 3, and 4 are enlarged detached views of the fastenin g.

A represents an ordinary berry -crate for holding a number ofberry-baskets, and provided with'a hinged lid, O. D represents thefastening made of a single piece of wire bent in such a manner that itslower end forms a ci-ank or handle, a, at right angles with a verticalpart, b, and in this vertical part is formed a lug or projection, d, bybending the wire, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper end e is then bent atright angles, extending horizontally in the opposite direction from thehandle a. This fastening is attached on the inner side of the upperfront rail of the crate by means of two staples, f f, one above and theother below the lug d, the part b of the fastening being in a verticalposition. Between the rail and the fastening is placed a spring, E,fastened at one end and loose at the other, and in the rail is made arecess, k, for said spring to bend into. On the under side of the lid Ois fastened a staple, G, into which the arm e of the fastening passes tohold the lid closed, the spring E acting on the lug d to retain thefastening in position.

By turning the handle a from underthe rail it can readily be unlockedand locked at pleasure.

This fastening is entirely inside of the box,

and hence cannot be misplaced or liable to injury. 'It is cheap andconvenient, and does not disfigure the crate.

In place of wire, it may be made of malleable iron. a

The spring may be dispensed with by bendin g the wire properly, and inplace of the two staples ff, a single' piece of sheet-iron or othermetal may be used.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as' new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The fastening D, constructed as described, with handle a, lug d, and arme, and used, in combination with the spring E and staple G, on theinside of a berry box or crate, substantially as and for the purposesherein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this14th day of February, 1873.

WILLIAM H. CLARKSON.

Witnesses:

NEWELL BALL, F. M. CLARKSON.

